The office rumour: I have a serious medical condition

Back story: Because of my history with depression and sleeping issues, I luminotherapy for about an hour each day. I basically use this big, bright light that simulates sunlight. It resets my internal clock, helps me sleep better and gives me a little more energy. For the two years I’ve been using it, I’ve been getting up extra early and using it before work. It was getting to be a pain and I was using it less and less because I was running late in the morning. So I decided, what the hell, I’ll just bring it to work and use it there. I figured I would get questions but would tell people it gives me more energy and helps me sleep better. Case closed.

When I started working here 4 months ago, I was given a cubicle on the far end of the floor away from the rest of my team. I was told it was temporary as they were busting down walls and rearranging the entire cubicle. No problem. A few weeks after I brought the lamp to work, my boss said I would be moving to the other end of the floor as a temporary solution until the renovations where done. I figured it was to be closer to my team. I was also told that once the renovations would be complete, I would get a cubicle next to two humungous windows. I thought this was strange because at Sobeys you didn't get a window unless you where senior management, but I figured, who am I to argue!

So yesterday my boss was in town (he works from Montreal) and we had a meeting about how "things are going". He asked me if I was happy with my new space and I told him I was. He asked me if I was feeling better and if there was anything he could do to "help". I was like, Wah?? Well, apparently my recent move closer to a window was because I have a serious medical condition which requires that I always be exposed to natural light!!! I have no idea who interpreted this but I guess several people have pushed for me to be closer to a window. I figure it's the whole lamp thing. When people ask me what the lamp is, I tell them it's a sun lamp that I don't sleep well and the sun lamp helps my internal clock reset itself in the morning. Somehow that got translated to some kind of serious medical condition!

Then, my boss says apologetically that I can only get one window and that there have been complaints about my "special treatment". I didn't even know I NEEDED special treatment!!! Anyway, my boss wanted to know if I would be ok working with just one window. I told him I had no idea how this story had become so bent out of proportion. I told him the lamp thing is no big deal, that I just use my lamp for an hour each day so it doesn't matter if I work in a dark closet all day long; the lamp does its work. Anyway, I really hope no one thinks I'm weird because of this silly lamp now.

So this morning I get to work and the wall where I'm currently sitting has been torn down (as part of the renovations). Two of us have no overhead lights. I've already had four people (two of them I barely know) come see me out of concern for my need for light! I feel like a complete tool!! I almost feel like sending a mass email saying, I'm not dying from underexposure to natural light people! Get over it!

The boy says I should try to milk this. I should get cloudy days off due to lack of sunlight. Or on sunny summer days, I could get the day off for some "therapy" at the beach. I like his thinking.